Self-sealing coupling



Aug. 24, 1954 R. KAISER SELF-SEALING COUPLING Filed June 26, 1950 0 2 n 2 a 2 39 8 4 7. 5 7 1 l a 4 I INVENTOR 0066 Kafka r ATTORNEY lllIIn-E; IIII===== f, I i

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED STATES L 'ATENT OFFICE The present invention relates to self-sealing couplings for use with flexible hose and rigid tubing. This type of coupling eliminates the. loss of fluid and permits re-connection of lines: without induction of air into the. system, The known. embodiments of. self-sealing couplings, with poppet valves and the like as sealing. elements, are somewhat complicatedand expensive. In addition, the: two coupling parts, or halves, are usually screwed together and canonly be connected or disconnected: throughthe use of wrenches, or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to: eliminate, to a great extent, somev ofv the inherent. dist-- advantages in the conventional coupling design of the aforesaid type and bya simplified construction permit quick connection and disconnection without the use of tools.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention residing in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts will appear clear from consideration of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings and from the appended claims.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a coupling construction in accordance with the: in-

vention showing the two coupling parts in the fully connected condition, and with the poppet valves and their associated return springs being shown in elevation for convenience of illustration,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the coupling part shown on the right of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is an end View looking on the left-hand end of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the valve actuator as seen in Figure 2, but removed from its coupling body part,

Figure 5 is an end view looking on the lefthand end of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an end view looking on the righthand end of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the poppet valve as seen in Figure 2 but removed from its coupling body part, I

Figure 8 i an end view looking on the lefthand end of Figure 7, and s Figure 9 is an end view looking on the righthand end of Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, the coupling comprises a pair of identical hollow cylindrical body parts I and l, containing valve actuators 3, 3 and poppet valves l2, l2, respectively.

The body parts have externally screw-threaded end portions 2, 2", by which the body parts can. be connected to the ends of a pair of hose sec.- tions (not shown), and, in addition, the body part have externally screw-threaded portions: 65, 6 upon which rings 4, 4" are screwed and secured against rotation relatively to their body parts. as by grub screws 5, 5

As indicated, each coupling part is of identical construction; so only one such part need be: described in detail, for which purpose the righthancl coupling part has been selected and i ill us-- trated in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 9t In Figure l, the same references" have been applied to portionsof the left-hand coupling part which corresponds with portions of the righthand coupling part described with reference to Figures 2 to 9.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 9 as stated the body part I: contains the valveactuatort and the poppet valve I 2, the valve being shown in elevation.

The valve actuator 3 comprise a cyli'i-i'dri-c'al end portion, having anannular flange 'l' and acylindrical body portion 8 having a rear end edge formed to provide a series of cam surfaces 9. Three cam surfaces are shown, each of identicalshape and direction and separated around the" said edge by stops 9-. The valve actuator also has an internal conical valve seat It and carries on it front end surface a sealing ring H. Extending from said front end surface there are a pair of diametrically opposite claw portions 13, which are of arcuate shape, as seen in Figures 3, 5 and 6, and provide outwardly projecting flange portions [3.

The body part 8 of the valve actuator 3 is slidably fitted into the body part I and is retained therein by the inwardly directed flange 41" on the ring 4 engaging in front of the flange l. 2! (Figures 1 and 2) indicates a U-section packing ring retained between the body part 8 of the valve actuator and the body part I.

The flange 1, adjacent each claw i3 is formed with an arcuate slot Ill of arcuate extent in excess of the arcuate extent of the claw. Each slot I4 coincides with an arcuate slot it (Figure 3) formed on the inner edge of the flange t" of the ring 4, there thus being two diametrically opposite slots I5 and these being of substantially the same arcuate extent as the claws l3. s

The poppet valve l2 has an exterior conical surface It, which seats against the surface it within the actuator 3, and extending rearwardly from the surface IS the valve has radial ribs I! (three being shown in Figures 7 and 9) which ribs are guided for axial motion with respect to guide channels formed within an inwardly directed annular flange I8 on the body part I and are formed with shoulders l9 which, by the action of spring 20, are maintained in constant engagement with the cam surfaces 9 on the actuator 3.

It will be appreciated from consideration of the foregoing description that each coupling part comprises a cam surfaced valve actuator mounted within a body part so as to permit relative rotation to take place between the valve actuator and the body part and that a poppet valve provided within each body part is maintained in constant engagement with cam surfaces on the valve actuator so as to be capable of partaking of axial opening and closing movement while being prevented from rotating relatively to the body part.

In operation, prior to connection of the parts I, I both valves l2, I2 are at the low side of the cam surfaces 9. For connection of the parts, one of the body parts, the body part I, for example, is held against rotation and the other body part I is rotated clockwise. As above described, the valves in both parts can only move axially due to the engagement of the ribs I! in the guide channels in their respective parts. The actuators 3, 3, after initial locking movement to engage the claw flanges I3 behind the flanges 4', will be fixed relative to each other. Therefore, if the actuators 3, 3" remain fixed relative to the part I, the shoulders I9 on the valve in the part I will be rotated relative to the cam surfaces 9 and thereby open the valve in the part I. Engagement of the shoulders I9 with the stops 9' will cause the actuators 3, 3' to be rotated with the part I, thereby moving the cam surfaces in the part I relative to the valve in this part so that this valve is opened. Assuming that the actuators 3,3 rotate with the part I, the valve in part I will travel along its corresponding cam surfaces until the valve is opened and abuts the stops 9'. Then the actuators 3, 3 will be held against rotation relative to part I and continued rotation will result in the valve shoulders I9 in part I moving along the cam surfaces in that part until the valve is opened. The construction and arrangement is such that the sequence in which the valves open is not predetermined.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to be covered by Letters Patent is:

A separable pipe coupling comprised of a pair of similar hollow body parts, the body parts each having a fluid passage therethrough, a valve in each fluid passage, and a hollow member mounted in each part, means on each member and its respective part rotatably securing the member within the part, and means rotatably and releasably locking each member and the part carrying the other member together, and means on said members holding said member against rotation relative to each other after said locking means have been engaged, a valve seat in each member adjacent the end carrying said locking means and a resilient means interposed between each part and valve urging said valves toward their respective valve seats, means on each part and valve permitting axial movement of said valve and preventing rotation of each valve relative to its respective part, a cam surface on each member engaged with said valve whereby the rotation of the respective part relative to its member moves the valve away from said valve seat, and stop means on said cam surface engaged by the valve after the valve has been opened to limit the rotational movement of said valve relative to said member, said engagement with the stop means constituting a driving means whereby one part, its respective member and valve and the member in the other part are rotated relative to the other part and its valve thereby opening the valve in the other part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,317,827 Townhill Apr. 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 593,014 Great Britain Aug. 25,- 1941 854,220 France Jan. 4, 1940 859,331 France June 3, 1940 874,87 9 France May 26, 1942 876,521 France Aug. 3, 1942 

